SAN DIEGO — The City of San Diego's Public Safety Committee unanimously approved changes to the city's law on street parking in an effort to combat vehicles staying in one spot for too long.
The previous code required people to move their vehicle one-tenth of a mile after parking in the same spot for more than 72 hours. Now, people will have to move at least half a mile to restart the three-day rule.
Some residents think it's a good idea.
“I agree 100% honestly, because some people take advantage of it,” one resident said.
Councilmember Jen Campbell said long-term parking violations are a major problem in her district.
“It’s been a real problem with these illegally parked large vehicles blocking the roadway and then people get a citation and then they move like 3 feet or something and they get away with it under the old law,” said Campbell during Thursday’s committee meeting.
The new rules will focus on cars that haven’t moved in several days. The city will also use the updated policy to enforce parking laws geared towards illegally parked vehicles that block sidewalks, bike lanes, and crosswalks, which the city says can put pedestrians, cyclists and others at risk.
“We see the inequitable monopolization of limited parking space ability and low parking turnover contributing to congestions and inefficient traffic flow,” said a representative with Mayor Todd Gloria's office.
The city says increasing the required distance to move will help the city better enforce the regulations, improve parking turnover, and reduce long-term parking, which the city has struggled to enforce in the past.
“It’s one of the top concerns we get from residents in district 5,” said Councilmember Marni von Wilpert.
So far this year, the city has received 37,231 complaints about the 72-hour rule. That’s nearly 130 complaints per day.
“It’s also good to prevent people from leaving their car there forever,” said South Park resident Taylor Tye.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for us to change our neighborhoods and I support this in full,” said resident Francine Maxwell.
However, some question what happens when people need to go out of town for more than three days.
“Now I have to find someone to move my car,” added Tye.
Once officers investigate a complaint, they’ll issue a warning for the owner to move the vehicle within 72 hours.
If they do not, officers would then have the vehicle towed.
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